Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The present invention relates to the genus and species Zoysia japonica (L.) Merr.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Southern Gemxe2x80x99.
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and distinct asexually reproduced variety of perennial zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica (L.)) Merr.
This invention relates to a new and distinct perennial zoysiagrass cultivar identified as xe2x80x98Southern Gemxe2x80x99 zoysiagrass (herein referred to as xe2x80x98Southern Gemxe2x80x99). The inventor, Ronald Nixon, discovered xe2x80x98Southern Gemxe2x80x99 under cultivated conditions in a sod field near Midway, Ala. xe2x80x98Southern Gemxe2x80x99 was identified as a distinctly different vegetative patch or segregated clonal plant differing by finer leaf texture from the suspected parental variety xe2x80x98Meyerxe2x80x99 (unpatented). The inventor asexually reproduced xe2x80x98Southern Gemxe2x80x99 by taking vegetative cuttings of the plant material from the field including stolons and rhizomes, cutting the rhizomes and stolons into segments, each with a vegetative bud, and rooted them in potting media near Midway. Ala. Another zoysiagrass discovered by Ronald Nixon, the variety xe2x80x98Marionxe2x80x99, is the subject of the co-pending U.S. Plant patent application, having application Ser. No. 10/091,876. Another zoysiagrass discovered by Ronald Nixon, the variety xe2x80x98Serenexe2x80x99, is the subject of the co-pending U.S. Plant patent application, having application Ser. No. 10/093,810.
For purposes of registration under the xe2x80x9cInternational Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plantsxe2x80x9d (generally known by its French acronym as the UPOV Convention) and noting Section 1612 of the Manual of Plant Examining Procedure, it is proposed that the title of the invention is Zoysiagrass plant named xe2x80x98Southern Gemxe2x80x99.